The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-07
THE CHURCH WHERE WASH
INGTON WORSHIPED.


After delightful drive through
finely wooded and well cultivated coun-
try, arrived at Pohick church, in Vir-
ginis, regarded with so much reverence
by Americans, as it was here for many
years that General Washington worship
ed. The sexton unlocked the large gate
of the enclosure.
The site of the church was selected by
Washington on account of ite central po-
sition, and its proximity to Mount YER
non. The contractor was Mr.. Daniel
French. 1t was begun in 1869 and fin
ished in 1772. The bricks were made in
the county, and the stone was brought
from the Isle of Wight. The building is
661a feet in length by As in width, and
the walls are % feet in height. The en-
tire cost was EST sterling. The money
for the payment was raised by taxation.
The walls appear to have been broken,
as the repairs have been made of new
bricks. The church has an ancient ap-
pearance, and is very much larger than
is usually seen in the country.
There are two large doors on the western
side and one on the south side, and twen-
| ty-six windows. The steps are eight in
number, built of the same stone as the
trimmings and easements of the doors.
The church has been thoroughly reno
waited. There are two aisles and four
rows OF substantial pews and beautiful
chapcel enclosed with a eemi-circular
railing. During the civil war the regi-
ments stationed at Alexandria quartered
their pickets III this church, and the
| Pennsylvania and Iowa Union soldiers
stabbed their horses in it. The stone
tagging OF the aisle was torn up and
thrown out, the pulpit and pews broken
up, and the pieces sent as mementoes or
relics to different States, to relatives and
friends. Washington's pew met with the
same treatment. The spot on which it
stood, ON the north aide, is pointed out to
visitors. The roof of the church was
pierced with bullets; all the plastering
fell down; holes were chiseled out 10 the
corners of the church, which had stone
facings, to find the money supposed to be
in the corner stone, and some members
of an Iowa regiment carved their names
in the west corner OF the stone facing5
near the door.
The list of the names of the original
vestrymeu Of Pohick church was kindly
furnished me by Virginia gentleman of
Accotink, who Is quite an antiquarian,
and has copied them from the vestry book
of 1872, which has been found during the
last three months in the State of New
York, where it had been treasured and
hid away by Virginia family. The first
vestrymans name on the list was that of
George Washington, and then followed
the names of George Mason, of GunstoD,
who wrote the bill of rights of the State
OF Virginia; George w. Fairfax, baronet,
Potomac; Alexander Henderson, Martin
Coburn, Colonel Daniel McCarty, Gen.
eral William Payne, Thomas WILDER
Golfer and Mr.. EIizer.
Near the church is small grove. There
are also many graves. read the follow
ing inscription on a tombstone over a
hundred years old:
"To the memory of Mrs. susanna Mills,
wife of John Mills (merchaut), who de
parted this life June IL, 1774, aged 80
years.
"Whate'er she was forbear to say,
Twill best be known on the great day,
When you and all and every one
Must give an account of what was done.
To say no more she lived approved,
Died lamented and beloved
AS [ turned away TO return homeward
my mind was filed with thoughts of the
different scenes which had been enacted
on and around the historic spot during
peace and war, under the same soft blue
sky, with its feathery clouds, and the
same beautiful surroundings of emerald
green meadows, yellow tinted green fields
and distant hills flooded with waves of
light catching CLEANS of the suns glory.
Correspondence Washington Star.